I like coffee. And I blame Sherwin for it. Before I moved to Victoria I had no idea what an Americano was, not to mention the other fancy things on coffee shop menus. Sherwin introduced me to the finer side of coffee and, for better or worse, I have come to enjoy it.
But I have always been aware that our coffee habits come at a cost to people and the environment. Large swaths of tropical forests have been converted into coffee plantations and the workers in those plantations are often not getting a fair price for the work they do, or the coffee they produce.
The good news is, consumer’s demand for socially and environmentally accountable coffee is slowly making a difference in how the coffee business works. Inasmuch as this is good news, it has also created some new things to think about and some new jargon to be aware of.
Since I began drinking coffee, I have endeavored to always drink coffee that is environmentally sustainable and socially responsible. But it can be pretty tough to know if what you’re drinking meets these standards. Sherwin’s recent blog about coffee provides some clarity here and is a great primer for further coffee dialogue. I encourage all you caffeine addicts out there to read it.
